Early Times Report
Jammu, June 20: As the campaigning for Anantnag Assembly by-election came to an end this evening, the official Congress candidate for the seat had reservations over JKPCC Chief campaigning for him due to him (JKPCC Chief) biting the dust in the last assembly elections.
It may sound odd but is true that the Congress candidate Hilal Ahmad Shah, who had secured more than 11000 votes in the last Assembly elections, is apprehensive of negative impact of JKPCC president's campaign over his prospects in this election.
According to the sources in Congress circles, Hilal Shah has strong footing in Anantnag Assembly constituency and this was evident from the fact that in 2014 Assembly elections, he had given a tough fight to PDP candidate late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
Encouraged over apparent resentment of common Kashmiri against PDP's alliance with BJP, the Congress candidate was enthusiastic and hopeful to emerging more stronger and even victorious in the by-election this was the reason that he made his party to review earlier decision of not contesting the by-election, sources explained.
However, as soon as the election campaigning started picking up, the Congress candidate realized that canvassing by PCC president was adversely affecting his prospects. Notwithstanding his being PCC president and `sincere' campaigning for the party candidate, the people of Anantnag have not forgotten the controversial past of the JKPCC Chief, said a close confidant of Hilal Ahmad Shah on the condition of anonymity.
As the campaigning for prestigious Anantnag Assembly by-election came to an end this evening, the official Congress candidate, according to the sources, was of the opinion that
JKPCC president campaigning for him has had a negative impact.
Though the exact picture would emerge only after the counting of votes, sources said, that PDP camp is confident of Mehbooba Mufti's victory in the by-election. |
